Search Results (81)

Background: Food environments can determine food choices, acting as barriers to or promoters of healthy eating. It is necessary to investigate individuals’ perceptions of those barriers and promoters of healthy eating in the food environment. Methods: This is a qualitative and quantitative study involving patients diagnosed with arterial hypertension. In the quantitative approach, a validated questionnaire for the Brazilian population, the Perceived Nutrition Environment Measures Survey, was used. For the qualitative approach, a talking map was applied in a focus group with guiding questions. Quantitative data were analyzed through simple relative frequency, and qualitative data through reports; subsequently, both were grouped into perceived barriers and facilitators. Results: Participants found high access to ultra-processed foods, strongly influenced by advertising in commercial establishments, as a barrier, as well as barriers related to changes in commensality habits and transformations in food systems. As promoting factors, access to fruits and vegetables was highlighted as favoring healthier food choices. The qualitative findings emphasized the importance of home gardens and foods sourced from family farming. Conclusions: This study found that individuals perceive high access to ultra-processed foods in their food environment, both in financial terms and availability, while reporting low access to fresh foods. Full article

Commercial tomato hybrids exhibit robust performance in modern high-input agricultural systems. However, their suitability for low-input farming remains uncertain. With the goal that by 2030, 25% of European agricultural production must be organic as part of the European Green Deal, this study aims to assess whether existing commercial tomato hybrids can offer a viable solution for low-input farming. Additionally, the impact of beneficial microorganisms such as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), in relation to the growth and productivity of tomato hybrids under low-input cultivation is assessed. For this purpose, a well-defined microbial consortium, including Azotobacter chroococcum, Clostridium pasteurianum, Lactobacillus plantarum, Bacillus subtilis, and Acetobacter diazotrophicus, was applied as a liquid suspension to enhance root colonization and promote plant growth. Seven commercial tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) hybrids—the most popular in the Greek market—were evaluated for their performance under high-input (hydroponic) and low-input cultivation systems (with and without the use of PGPR). Several parameters related to yield, fruit quality, nutritional value, descriptive traits, and leaf elemental concentration were evaluated. In addition, a techno-economic analysis was conducted to assess whether hybrids developed under high-input conditions and intended for such cultivation environments suit low-input farming systems. The results indicated that such hybrids are not a viable, efficient, or profitable strategy for low-input cultivation. These findings underscore the importance of breeding tomato varieties, specifically adapted to low-input farming, highlighting the need for targeted breeding strategies to enhance sustainability and resilience in future agricultural systems. Notably, this study is among the first to comprehensively assess the response of commercial tomato hybrids under low-input conditions, addressing a critical gap in the current literature. Full article

The marketability of fresh granadilla (Passiflora edulis) fruit is significantly reduced by oxidation reactions occurring in its exocarp, which is not directly linked to the organoleptic quality of its arils. However, organic means of mitigating this are not topical in research. This study investigated the potency of moringa (Moringa oleifera)-based coating to preserve antioxidant compounds in granadilla. Physiologically mature fruit of equal size were assigned to a completely randomized design experiment at the North-West University Farm Laboratory. The fruit samples were coated with 2% xanthan gum (commercial coating), 2% moringa, or 2% rosemary coating and kept at shelf-life conditions (25 ± 2 °C; 40 ± 5%RH) for 5 weeks while sampling at weekly intervals. Correlations between the measured parameters were confirmed prior to regression analysis. Significant (p < 0.05) differences were observed in weekly changes in the exocarp pH, total antioxidant compounds (TAO), tartaric acid (TA), malic acid (MA), and citric acid (CA). At the end of storage, the moringa- and xanthan-coated fruit had the highest exocarp pH (7.8) and TAO (0.87 mg/g). Moringa-coated fruit had higher TA and MA (6.0 and 5.36 µg/g, respectively) as well as a significantly higher CA (0.51 µg/g) preserved than the other coatings. Strong correlations between MA and TAO (r > 0.82), as well as TA and TAO (r > 0.86), indicated the potency of developing TAO estimation models using multivariate data from the organic acids. Pre-processed data regression models were developed but were limited by the amount of data collected. Models developed similarly can be used for sustainable TAO assessment as a latent variable to minimize toxic waste that results from wet chemistry analyses. Full article

Typically, developing new digital agriculture technologies requires substantial on-site resources and data. However, the crop’s growth cycle provides only limited time windows for experiments and equipment validation. This study presents a photorealistic digital twin of a commercial-scale strawberry farm, coupled with a simulated ground vehicle, to address these constraints by generating high-fidelity synthetic RGB and LiDAR data. These data enable the rapid development and evaluation of a deep learning-based machine vision pipeline for fruit detection and sizing without continuously relying on real-field access. Traditional simulators often lack visual realism, leading many studies to mix real images or adopt domain adaptation methods to address the reality gap. In contrast, this work relies solely on photorealistic simulation outputs for training, eliminating the need for real images or specialized adaptation approaches. After training exclusively on images captured in the virtual environment, the model was tested on a commercial-scale strawberry farm using a physical ground vehicle. Two separate trials with field images resulted in F1-scores of 0.92 and 0.81 for detection and a sizing error of 1.4 mm (R² = 0.92) when comparing image-derived diameters against caliper measurements. These findings indicate that a digital twin-driven sim2real transfer can offer substantial time and cost savings by refining crucial tasks such as stereo sensor calibration and machine learning model development before extensive real-field deployments. In addition, the study examined geometric accuracy and visual fidelity through systematic comparisons of LiDAR and RGB sensor outputs from the virtual and real farms. Results demonstrated close alignment in both topography and textural details, validating the digital twin’s ability to replicate intricate field characteristics, including raised bed geometry and strawberry plant distribution. The techniques developed and validated in this strawberry project have broad applicability across agricultural commodities, particularly for fruit and vegetable production systems. This study demonstrates that integrating digital twins with simulation tools can significantly reduce the need for resource-intensive field data collection while accelerating the development and refinement of agricultural robotics algorithms and hardware. Full article

Plant biostimulants (PBs) have been considered the new wave for ecological intensification and sustainability, but are they sustainable? They increase nutrient use efficiency and reduce the impact of abiotic stress in plants. However, commercially available PBs based on humic substances are obtained using non-renewable sources of organic matter. At the same time, the microbial inoculants include a discussion of the properties of microorganisms and formulation design, as well as standards of purity and process control. Farmers depend on biological inputs like others to generate additional income for agribusiness. We produced a composite PB using humic substances isolated from vermicompost with KOH 5% and microbial consortia of plant growth-promoting bacteria (H. seropedicae, G. diazotrophicus, Bacillus spp.) grown in a simple medium with molasses and fishmeal as sources of C and N, respectively, in a homemade reactor at 37 °C for 36 h. The on-farm PB was applied directly in a passion fruit trial, and plant health and yield were monitored. The plants treated with the PB showed decreased visual symptoms of pests and diseases concurrent to higher activities of the enzymes used to monitor the induction of the plant resistance system (1,3-β glucanase, peroxidase, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase). Plants treated with the PB yielded more than 50% more passion fruit than the control in soil with natural low fertility, fertilized with vermicompost. It is possible to produce PBs directly on the farm, leveraging locally available resources and simple technologies to sustainably enhance plant health and productivity. Full article

Nowadays, there is a lack of high-performing genetic materials specifically developed to thrive under low-input conditions and meet the demands of organic agriculture. This study aims to evaluate seven improved Greek tomato landraces and their (F1) hybrids designed for low-input farming systems as a potential solution to the shortage of superior varieties for organic farming in specific environments. This evaluation focuses on yield components and fruit quality parameters. According to the results, experimental genetic material matches or exceeds the performance of the commercial (F1) hybrid Formula and outperforms the control variety cv. Macedonia (pure line), indicating that selected inbred lines (S.I.L.s) originated from landraces that developed under low-input conditions and are better suited to organic farming systems. For instance, the improved line (S.I.L.) from landrace Pantaroza pink has only a 13% lower total yield compared to (F1) commercial hybrid Formula, whereas the (F1) hybrid between Pantaroza pink × Kardia vodiou surpasses it, by 23%. In conclusion, tomato landraces are an important gene pool for seed development for organic or low-input farming systems, especially under the circumstances of climate change, presenting increasing challenges. Improving these local genetic materials using mild breeding approaches under low-input conditions leads to the production of new selected pure lines (S.I.L.s) along with their (F1) hybrids, which could ensure high-quality products with satisfactory yield and low requirements, offering an innovative pathway toward sustainable agriculture. Full article

Climate change worsens abiotic stresses, primarily due to high temperatures, which have a negative impact on avocado productivity, leading to reduced crop yields, affecting fruit set and abscission. To tackle these challenges, antioxidants such as glycine, choline, and proline can enhance plant tolerance to these stressors and minimize plant cell damage. This work aimed to use these antioxidants to improve avocado commercial yield and quality under challenging environmental conditions. This study was conducted at the experimental farm of the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain, to evaluate the effects of glycine, choline, and proline on ‘Hass’ Persea americana plants. The research took place during the 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 seasons in a 2.0 ha orchard, using a randomized design with two treatments: one with antioxidants and the other without. Substances were applied at specific phenological phases, as the BBCH code indicated. Tree growth parameters, including trunk diameter, height, crown diameter, and tree canopy volume, were measured using geometric formulas. Leaf samples were collected to analyze the nutrient concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn using atomic emission spectrometry. Marketable fruit yield and quality parameters such as fat, fiber, and protein content were evaluated using the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists (AOAC) methods. The results showed that antioxidants did not significantly affect tree growth but altered leaf mineral nutrient composition. N and P concentrations were reduced, while K and Ca concentrations were increased. Mn and Zn levels were higher in the treated plants, whereas Cu levels were higher in the control plants. Productivity significantly improved, with a 49% increase in fruit yield, larger fruit size, and a 7% increase in fat content, though fiber and protein remained unchanged. These results show the selective benefits of antioxidants in optimizing avocado yield and quality under stress. Full article

Oyster mushrooms are regarded as one of the most significant edible mushrooms in terms of commercial value because of their rich nutritional profile. Many bioactive extracts from Pleurotus species have been found to exhibit antitumor and antioxidant activities. However, to grow oyster mushrooms in this study, the pasteurized Cenchrus fungigraminus was used as culture material, a type of grass that proliferates and has a high root growth rate. It contains high levels of sugar and protein and yields a large amount of biomass. Because of these characteristics, it is considered an efficient and cost-effective energy crop with various applications, including phytoremediation and fodder production. A pasteurization technique for this grass that is suited for the simplest formulation is simple and cost-effective for growing oyster mushrooms on small farms. This study used pasteurized Cenchrus fungigraminus as a substrate to grow three mushroom species: Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus pulmonarius and Pleurotus florida. The aim was to evaluate their enzyme activities, growth rate, and yields. The findings demonstrated that the average growth rate of three species grown in pasteurized C. fungigraminus was between 25 days and 36 days. Therefore, the mycelium growth rate of P. ostreatus was faster than other pleurotus species in this study. The highest biological efficiency was recorded with P. ostreatus at 78.23%, then P. pulmonarius at 59.88, and lastly, 39.66% P. florida. The changes in five enzyme activities in distinct developmental stages of three different pleurotus species were evaluated. Therefore, the laccase had the highest peak with 13.8 U/g on the 20th day during the growth phase and gradually decreased to the fruiting body stage of P. ostreatus. The expression of manganese peroxidase reached the highest activity of 3.6 U/g in P. ostreatus compared to P. florida and P. pulmonarius on the 10th day. The expression of other enzymes varied between species and developmental phases. The results indicate the usefulness of pasteurized C. fungigraminus for cultivating Pleurotus species and expression enzyme activity in different Pleurotus species. Full article

This study aims to determine the effects of four different biostimulation treatments—composed of microorganisms, seaweed, and plant extracts—on the yield and quality traits of table grapes. Those treatments are compared with an untreated control treatment and tested under two different irrigation schedules: (i) Farmer Irrigation (FI), according to farmer criteria, and (ii) a deficit irrigation program, Precision Irrigation (PI), irrigated as FI, except during the post-veraison period when a 10% soil water depletion was allowed to mitigate the lixiviation. The water inputs in the treatments under PI were reduced by 30% without affecting the total yield but still promoting harvest precocity—an effect that was enhanced by the biostimulated treatments. This deficit irrigation program also stimulated berry growth and a higher maturity index. The different biostimulation treatments led to an improvement in the physical and chemical quality traits of the grapes; under FI, they showed a bigger size and a greater weight than the non-biostimulated treatment, while under PI, they showed a higher soluble sugar concentration and maturity index. Regardless of the irrigation program, the commercial berry color proportion was increased in all the biostimulated treatments, reducing the percentage of green berries. The combined use of biostimulation and PI can promote more efficient and sustainable farming practices, promoting fruit yield precocity and quality of the grapevine in drought-prone regions. Full article

Almond fruit is characterized by a mature, hardened endocarp enclosing the seed. Despite being a drupe botanically, almonds are commonly referred to as nuts due to their low water content. The edible seed, known as the kernel, is the primary commercial product. Fatty acid composition was determined to value the quality of fat over four years in almonds of the Guara variety, from plots where the production system (organic and conventional), the irrigation system (intense irrigation, support irrigation and dry land), and the use of plant cover varied. The oil content and fatty acid composition were determined over four years in almonds of the Guara variety, using different sustainable agriculture techniques. Oil almond content ranged from 35% to 55% of total fresh weight of the kernel, with strong variability between years. Fatty acid composition was also highly variable, with significant differences depending on agricultural practices. Oleic acid, which ranged from 59% to 78%, was statistically higher with support irrigation. Plant cover also favored the synthesis of oleic acid. Linoleic acid, which ranged from 11% to 25%, had a statistically higher content in almonds from organic farming and dry land conditions. The atherogenic and thrombogenic indices and the value of health-beneficial fat was better in organically prod\uced almonds. The great variability observed in the quality of almond fat represents a very promising basis for establishing practices for adaptation to arid cultivation conditions, irrigation management, and organic and regenerative techniques, satisfying requirements for healthier and more sustainable diets. Full article

This study investigated the impact of varying sowing dates and concentrations of humic acid (HA) on the growth, yield, and essential oil profile of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) across two consecutive growing seasons (2020/2021 and 2021/2022). The experiment was carried out at Aswan University’s Agricultural Experimental Farm in Egypt, utilizing a split-plot design with three sowing dates (15th October, 1st November, and 15th November) along with four HA concentrations (0, 2.5, 3.75, and 5 kg ha⁻¹). The results revealed that early sowing on 15th October and enrichment with 5 kg ha⁻¹ of HA significantly enhanced plant height, stem diameter, branch number, umbels per plant, and fruit yield. The highest fruit yield (2684 kg ha⁻¹) and essential oil yield (27.3 L ha⁻¹) were obtained from plants sown on 15th October and treated with 5 kg ha⁻¹ HA. Moreover, the essential oil composition was notably affected, with significant increases in the concentration of anethole, estragole, and other critical compounds under the same treatment. Conversely, delayed sowing reduced both the yield and oil content. These findings highlight the importance of optimizing sowing dates and HA application rates to maximize fennel’s yield and essential oil quality, particularly in arid regions. The findings of this study offer practical guidance for optimizing fennel cultivation in arid regions by integrating early sowing dates and humic acid applications, which can significantly enhance yield and essential oil quality. These insights are particularly valuable for the medicinal and aromatic plant industries, supporting sustainable agriculture and improving the commercial viability of fennel production under climate-challenged conditions. Full article

Flavor is the most important feature consumers use to examine fruit ripeness, and it also has an important influence on taste sensation. Nowadays, more and more consumers pay much attention not only to the appearance but also to the fruit’s aroma. Exploiting the potential of headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with sensitive two-dimensional gas chromatography and the time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC/GC-ToF-MS) method within 30 old/traditional cultivars of apples (Malus domestica Borkh) coming from the same germplasm and 7 modern/commercial cultivars, 119 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified. The largest group was esters (53), followed by alcohols (20), aldehydes (17), ketones (10), and acids (10). The richest volatile profile was ‘Grochówka’, with 61 VOCs present. The results revealed a visible difference based on VOC levels and profiles between the different apple cultivars, as well as visible similarities within the same cultivar coming from different farms. Based on a PCA, the commercial cultivars were separated into 7 clusters, including (1) ‘Gala’, (2) ‘Melrose’, (3) ‘Red Prince’, (4) ‘Lobo’, (5) ‘Ligol’, and (6) ‘Szampion’. The results of this study indicate that the profile of volatile compounds may be a useful tool for distinguishing between commercial and old apple cultivars, as well as for the varietal classification of apples from different locations. The developed method can also be used to identify other fruit varieties and origins based on their VOC composition. This may prove to be particularly valuable in the case of establishing a Protected Designation of Origin or Protected Geographical Indication. Full article

Brazil leads globally in achieving high lint yields for rain-fed cotton in large-scale fields, with about 92% of its cotton area unirrigated. This study hypothesized that cotton could achieve high yields when favorable climate conditions and management practices favor high fruit load. The objective was to analyze the impact of these factors on cotton yields by examining two commercial fields in Brazil in the same climatic zone (Aw, Koppen)—one in Sapezal (SPZ) and the other in Riachão das Neves (RN). The SPZ field (cv. TMG 47B2RF) spanned 20 hectares, while the RN field (cv. FM 974GLT) covered 90 hectares. The soils of both fields were classified as oxisols, with SPZ possessing a clayey texture and RN a sandy loam texture. The findings indicate that the high lint cotton yields—3111 kg·ha⁻¹ in SPZ and 3239 kg·ha⁻¹ in RN—were achieved through a combination of ideal weather conditions, high-quality soil, and effective management practices, which favored boll retention, and an optimal plant architecture with short stature (<1.1 m), 19–22 nodes, and ~165 bolls m⁻². Boll weights averaged 1.85–1.91 g of lint, and fruit retention rates were 61.6% in SPZ and 66.2% in RN. The study reveals a significant yield gap compared to Brazil’s average lint cotton yield (~1900 kg·ha⁻¹) and other high-yield commercial fields (~3500–3900 kg·ha⁻¹ of lint). The results underscore that bridging this gap—ranging from 1200 to 2000 kg·ha⁻¹—could enhance the sustainability of cotton farming in Brazil by maximizing existing cultivated areas. Ultimately, the insights from this study highlight the role of combining climate suitability, management practices, and soil quality improvement to achieve higher cotton productivity and reduce environmental pressures from agricultural expansion. Full article

Defoliation (leaf removal or pruning) is a common practice in tomato production that makes crops more manageable, prevents conditions conducive to fungal attack and increases the exposure of the fruit to light, especially in winter conditions. The intensity and frequency of leaf removal on commercial farms often vary according to workforce availability criteria, which makes it difficult to determine their effect on tomato crop yields. It would be reasonable to think that a reduction in leaf area influences radiation interception and, therefore, the production of assimilates and biomass. However, in intensive production systems with a high leaf area index (LAI), leaf pruning can increase radiation interception, either by reducing competition between productive and vegetative organs or by increasing radiation use efficiency. This study was therefore designed to assess the effect of different intensities and frequencies of basal leaf removal on dry matter production and partitioning between the different organs of the plant, and thus on tomato crop productivity. A series of trials were conducted over three consecutive seasons, with a trial conducted per season: (a) Trial 1: leaf removal control—LRC (with leaves removed from the base to two leaves below the truss close to harvest, T0) was compared with LR1 (leaf removal from the base to two leaves below the truss above T0, i.e., T1) and LR2 (two trusses above T0 (T2)); (b) Trial 2: LRC compared with LR2 and LR4 (four trusses above T0 (T4)), carried out at two frequencies; and (c) Trial 3: LRC compared with an intense leaf removal treatment (LRI) whereby between 10 and 12 leaves were left on each stem. LAI saturation values under our conditions were found to be around 2.0. No significant differences in yield were found between the control and treatments LR1, LR2 and LR4, with a reduction in the number of leaves of up to 35% and LAI values during harvest above 2.0. The intense leaf removal treatment (LRI), which reduced the number of leaves by 47% and the LAI value from 2.8 to 1.5 compared to the control, resulted in a 15% reduction in dry biomass and a 17% decrease in fruit yield. Full article

Considering climate change predictions, it is logical to anticipate detrimental effects on the mandarin tree, an essential citrus crop. Therefore, scientists should promptly focus on developing methods to enhance its resistance to climatic stress effects such as sunscald. This study assesses the strategies employed in ‘Balady’ mandarin trees when covered by shading nets of varying colors and percentages (white 50%, green 50% or 63%, black 50% or 63%), as well as the application of reflective materials (kaolin at 4% and CaCO₃ at 3%) on the micro-climate of orchards, leaf, and fruit surface temperatures, fruit sunburn%, productivity, and fruit quality. The results indicated that shade nets effectively reduced temperature and enhanced humidity, especially during the period from June to September, when compared to open-field treatments. Black shade nets, particularly those with a shading level of 63%, demonstrated the most notable decrease in canopy temperature and an elevation in humidity, surpassing the performance of green and white shade nets. The present study found that shade nets and reflecting materials like kaolin and calcium carbonate significantly reduced fruit sunburn. Trees without shade had a sunburn rate of 8.74%, while those with shade treatments suffered no sunburn. Kaolin foliar spray at a concentration of 4% and calcium carbonate at a concentration of 3% reduced sunburn incidence to 3.64% and 7.32%, respectively. These treatments also reduced the intensity of sunburn. All treatments increased fruit yield % compared to the control and yield efficiency (kg/m²), especially the trees covered with white shade net of a 50% shading rate provided the highest values (43.70 and 40.17%) and (5.24 and 5.47 kg/m²) compared to other treatments in both seasons, respectively. Trees covered with a white shade net of a 50% shading rate, followed by a green shade net of 50% and a 63% shading rate, as well as a black shade net of 50% and a 63% shading rate, tended to improve the physical and chemical fruit properties. Therefore, it could be recommended that trees be covered with a white shade net of a 50% shading rate or a green shade net of a 50 and 63% shading rate in summer months due to its beneficial impact on mitigating fruit sunburn damage and enhancing the productivity and quality of ‘‘Balady’’ mandarin trees. Hence, shade nets can be a beneficial technology to protect citrus fruits from sunburn without affecting fruit quality in commercial citrus farms. Full article